Outgoing SANParks CEO David Mabunda will pocket millions via his shareholding in the game farm the government bought in its most costly land settlement deal yet, according to Sunday’s issue of Rapport.

He is a director and shareholder of MalaMala, for which the government paid more than R1bn. It was unclear how much he stood to gain, notes a report in The Citizen. Mabunda confirmed he was a shareholder and director of MalaMala, but ignored inquiries about his role in land reform. ‘My directorship and shareholding were approved in 2009 in writing by the SANParks board and the Minister (of Environmental Affairs),’ he reportedly said in an SMS to Rapport. According to the newspaper, the SANParks board took Mabunda to task over an apparent conflict of interest in the matter. SANParks subsequently announced that Mabunda’s career at SANParks was ending last month. It said his departure was not related to the alleged conflict of interest. A report on the Fin24.com site notes SANParks said its board has appointed Abe Sibiya, the managing executive of Kruger National Park, as its acting CEO from 1 April.